Aircraft having a recessed cavity in an aft pressure bulkhead wall surface and a galley moved rearwardly into the recessed cavity increasing floor space in front of the galley

ABSTRACT

An aircraft cabin has been reconfigured with a rear fuselage galley and a modified aft pressure bulkhead that enables the galley to be moved rearwardly to provide additional floor space in the aircraft cabin.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to an aircraft cabin that has beenreconfigured to increase the floor space of the aircraft cabin. Inparticular, the present invention pertains to an aircraft cabin having arear fuselage galley and a modified rear bulkhead that enables thegalley to be moved rearwardly to provide additional floor space insidethe cabin.

BACKGROUND

Commercial aircraft set up for the transportation of passengerstypically include rows of seats along the length of the aircraft cabinand one or more aisles that extend the length of the aircraft betweenthe rows of seats. Some aircraft have a cross aisle at the rear of theaircraft that extends between a pair of boarding doorways in theopposite sides of the aircraft and a galley at the rear of the aircraftadjacent the cross aisle. The traditional positioning of the galley inthe aircraft cabin often requires that a portion of the galley projectout into the cross aisle of the aircraft cabin. Thus, the galley canprove to be an impediment to passengers comfortably moving along thecross aisle when boarding or exiting the aircraft.

SUMMARY

The aircraft of the present invention overcomes the disadvantagesassociated with prior art aircraft having galleys that project into across aisle as discussed above. This is accomplished by reconfiguringthe aft pressure bulkhead of the aircraft to enable the galley of theaircraft to be moved rearwardly of the cross aisle. This increases thefloor space of the aircraft

The aft pressure bulkhead of the aircraft of the invention is redesignedwith a recessed cavity in a central area of the bulkhead. The recessedcavity is aligned with the galley of the aircraft cabin and isdimensioned to receive portions of the galley. This enables the galleyto be positioned rearwardly of the cross aisle and rearwardly of theboarding doors at the laterally opposite ends of the cross aisle. Thegalley being moved rearwardly of the cross aisle provides clear accessto the two boarding doors at the opposite ends of the cross aisle andincreases the floor space of the aircraft.

The features, functions, and advantages that have been discussed can beachieved independently in various embodiments or may be combined in yetother embodiments, further details of which can be seen with referenceto the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of the floor plan at the rear of h theinvention with the repositioned galley of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the aft pressure bulkhead of theinvention and the floor surface of the aircraft cabin.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing galley carts insertedinto the recessed cavity in the aft pressure bulkhead.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the aft pressure bulkhead of theinvention and the floor surface of the aircraft cabin.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart representing a method of providing a recessedcavity in an aft pressure bulkhead to increase the floor space of anaircraft.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a representation of the floor plan at the rear of the aircraftof the invention with the repositioned galley of the invention. Theaircraft cabin has a longitudinal length between a front 14 of the cabinand a rear 16 of the cabin. The cabin also has a lateral width betweenopposite first 18 and second 22 outboard sidewalls of the cabin.

A plurality of rows of seats 24, 26 are arranged on the floor surface 28of the aircraft cabin. The rows of seats 24, 26 are arranged onlaterally opposite sides of the cabin and define a central aisle 32. Theaisle 32 extends longitudinally through the cabin across the floorsurface 28 between the front 14 and rear 16 of the cabin and between therows of seats 24, 26. Although only one aisle is shown extending thelength of the cabin, there could be multiple aisles separating the rowsof seats and extending through the length of the cabin.

A cross aisle 36 extends laterally across the rear 16 of the cabin. Thecross aisle 36 may extend between a pair of aft most boarding doorways38, 42 in the respective first 18 and second 22 sidewalls of theaircraft cabin. The aisle 32 extending between the rows of seats 24, 26intersects the cross aisle 36. Thus, passengers boarding and exiting theaircraft through the aft boarding doorways 38, 42 walk along both thecentral aisle 32 and cross aisle 36.

The aircraft may be provided with a modified aft pressure bulkhead 44.The bulkhead 44 may include a pressure wall and a interconnected supportstructure configured to attach to the aircraft fuselage barrel. In apreferred embodiment the pressure wall surface 46 may be continuous andextend vertically upwardly from the floor surface 28 and laterallyacross the rear of the aircraft cabin between the first 18 and second 22outboard sidewalls of the aircraft cabin. Referring to FIG. 2, the aftpressure bulkhead 44 may comprise a plurality of vertically orientedsupport members or beams 48 that are secured to the top and bottom ofthe aircraft fuselage, and a plurality of horizontally oriented supportmembers or beams 52 that are secured to the opposite sides of theaircraft fuselage. The interconnecting beams 48, 52 shown in FIG. 2 arealso secured together, forming a rigid structural framework of the aftpressure bulkhead 44. The pressure wall 46 is preferably attached to theinterconnected support structure to form a rigid pressure wallstructure. The vertically oriented beams 48 may be spaced approximately12 inches from each other. A lower horizontal beam 54 and a horizontalbeam 56 immediately above the lower beam are spaced approximately 40inches from each other. This spacing of the vertical beams 48 and thebottom two horizontal beams 54, 56 defines four upright rectangular,voids or volumes between the beams. In other embodiments of the aftpressure bulkhead the spacing distances between the beams could bevaried and the number of voids left between the beams could be varied.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure wall surface 46 of the bulkhead hasbeen modified with a large recessed chamber or cavity that extendsrearwardly through a plane of the wall surface. The cavities 58, 62, 64,66 extend rearwardly through a plane of the forward wall surface 46 torespective back walls 68, 72, 74, 76 of the cavities. Each of thecavities 58, 62, 64, 66 has the general upright rectangular orientationof the voids between the beams 48, 52 of the aft pressure bulkhead 44.The lateral sides of the cavities 58, 62, 64, 66 are defined byvertically oriented galley walls 78, 82, 84, 86, 88 that are comprisedof portions of the vertical beams 48 of the bulkhead 44. Thus, thecavities 58, 62, 64, 66 are formed in the forward wall surface 46 of theaft pressure bulkhead 44 without compromising the structural integrityof the aft pressure bulkhead.

The cavities 58, 62, 64, 66 are formed in a central area of the wallsurface 46 just above the floor surface 28 of the aircraft cabin. Asshown in FIG. 2, a top panel 90 compromising one of the horizontal beams56 extends over the cavities and a portion of the floor surface 92extends rearwardly of the wall surface 46 and into the cavities 58, 62,64, 66. The cavities 58, 62, 64,66 thereby increase the floor surface ofthe aircraft.

Referring to FIG. 2, the cavities 58, 62, 64, 66 are longitudinallyaligned with a galley 92 of the aircraft cabin. The dimensions of thecavities 58, 62, 64, 66 correspond with those of galley cartcompartments 94, 96, 98, 102 of the galley 92. As shown in FIG. 3, thecavities 58, 62, 64, 66 are dimensioned to receive rearward portions offour galley carts 104, 106,108, 112 that are rolled on the floorsurfaces 28, 90 and into the cavities. This enables the galley 92 to bemoved rearwardly in the aircraft cabin rear 16 increasing floor space infront of the galley. The galley 92 is positioned entirely rearwardly ofthe cross-aisle 36 and the aft most boarding doorways 38, 42 at thelaterally opposite ends of the cross-aisle.

The rearward extension of the galley 92 into the cavities 58 62, 64 66of the modified aft pressure bulkhead 44 increases the floor space 28 ofthe aircraft cabin and improves passenger access to the aft mostboarding doors 38, 48 of the aircraft. The galley may further include awall that extends adjacent to the aft bulkhead and extends into thecavities of the bulkhead.

In a further embodiment of aft pressure bulkhead as shown in FIG. 4, thewall surface could be a rearward wall surface supported on the bulkheadbeams 48, 52 behind the vertically oriented beams and horizontallyoriented beams. In this configuration the wall may be substantially flatand continuous across the bulkhead area while the beams remain spacedapart to provide the needed volume for extending the floor space andpositioning the galley carts.

As various modifications could be made in the construction of theinvention herein described and illustrated without departing from thescope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in theforegoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth andscope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the abovedescribed exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only inaccordance with the following claims appended hereto and theirequivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An aircraft comprising: an aircraftfuselage containing an aircraft cabin, the aircraft fuselage having alongitudinal length between a front of the aircraft fuselage and a rearof the aircraft fuselage, the aircraft cabin having a longitudinallength between a front of the aircraft cabin and a rear of the aircraftcabin, and the aircraft cabin having a lateral width between laterallyopposite first and second outboard sidewalls of the aircraft cabin; afloor surface in the aircraft cabin; a galley in the rear of theaircraft cabin; an aft pressure bulkhead at the rear of the aircraftcabin, the aft pressure bulkhead including a forward wall surface facingtoward the aircraft cabin and extending laterally across the rear of theaircraft cabin between the first and second outboard sidewalls of theaircraft cabin, and the forward wall surface having a recessed cavity ina central area of the forward wall surface and above the floor surface,the cavity extending rearwardly of the forward wall surface and forminga portion of the galley; and, the galley including a galley cartcompartment containing at least one galley cart, the galley cart beingsupported on the floor surface and inserted longitudinally into thegalley cart compartment, and at least a portion of the galley cartcompartment extending into the recessed cavity in the central area ofthe forward wall surface.
 2. The aircraft of claim 1, furthercomprising: a portion of the galley cart in the galley cart compartmentextending rearwardly into the recessed cavity in the aft pressurebulkhead forward wall surface.
 3. The aircraft of claim 1, furthercomprising: the galley having a pair of galley walls on laterallyopposite sides of the galley with rearward portions of the pair ofgalley walls extending rearwardly through the aft pressure bulkheadforward wall surface and forming laterally opposite sides of therecessed cavity in the aft pressure bulkhead forward wall surface. 4.The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: the aft pressure bulkheadbeing a rigid, pressure sealed structure with vertical beams supportingthe aft pressure bulkhead forward wall surface; and, the recessed cavityextending rearwardly between a pair of the vertical beams supporting theaft pressure bulkhead forward wall surface.
 5. A method of increasingthe floor space in an aircraft cabin comprising: positioning an aftpressure bulkhead at a rear of the aircraft cabin, the aft pressurebulkhead having a front wall surface extending across the aircraft cabinand extending upwardly from a floor surface of the aircraft cabin, thebulkhead having; a recessed cavity in the wall surface, the recessedcavity extending rearwardly into the wall surface; positioning the floorsurface into the recessed cavity; and, temporarily positioning a galleycart in the recessed cavity with a portion of the galley cart extendingrearwardly of the aft pressure bulkhead wall surface.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, further comprising: extending the floor space rearwardly of theaft pressure bulkhead wall surface.
 7. A method of increasing the floorspace in an aircraft cabin comprising: positioning an aft pressurebulkhead at a rear of the aircraft cabin, the aft pressure bulkheadhaving a front wall surface extending across the aircraft cabin andextending upwardly from a floor surface of the aircraft cabin, thebulkhead having; a recessed cavity in the wall surface, the recessedcavity extending rearwardly into the wall surface; positioning the floorsurface into the recessed cavity; and, supporting the aft pressurebulkhead wall surface with vertical beams and positioning the recessedcavity between a pair of the vertical beams.
 8. An aircraft comprising:a fuselage having a top and an opposite bottom, and the fuselage havinga left side and a laterally opposite right side; a cabin containedinside the fuselage, the cabin having a first side wall and a laterallyopposite second side wall, and the cabin having a front and alongitudinally opposite rear; an aft pressure bulkhead extending acrossthe rear of the cabin between the fuselage top and bottom and thefuselage left and right sides, the aft pressure bulkhead including afirst vertical beam and an adjacent second vertical beam that extendbetween the fuselage top and bottom, and a first horizontal beam and anadjacent second horizontal beam that extend between the fuselage leftside and right side, the first and second vertical beams and the firstand second horizontal beams being interconnected forming a rigidstructural framework of the aft pressure bulkhead; a pressure wallattached to the structural framework forming a rigid pressure wallstructure; and, the interconnected first and second vertical beams andfirst and second horizontal beams defining an upright rectangular voidinside the pressure wall structure and between the first and secondvertical beams and the first and second horizontal beams, the void beingaccessible from the cabin and being dimensioned to receive a portion ofa galley cart inside the void.
 9. The aircraft of claim 8, furthercomprising: the first and second vertical beams and the first and secondhorizontal beams being substantially orthogonal.
 10. The aircraft ofclaim 8, further comprising: the pressure wall being attached to a rearof the structural framework of the rigid pressure wall structure. 11.The aircraft of claim 8, further comprising: the pressure wall beingattached to a front of the structural framework of the rigid pressurewall structure.
 12. The aircraft of claim 8, further comprising: thepressure wall having a pressure wall surface that is substantially flat.13. The aircraft of claim 8, further comprising: the pressure wallhaving a pressure wall surface that is continuous, substantially flatand substantially orthogonal to the first and second vertical beams andthe first and second horizontal beams.
 14. The aircraft of claim 8,further comprising: a galley in the cabin adjacent the aft pressurebulkhead, the galley having a galley floor surface that extendsrearwardly into the void and between the first and second vertical beamsand the first and second horizontal beams.
 15. The aircraft of claim 14,further comprising: the galley having a cavity, the cavity havinglaterally opposite and vertically oriented galley walls that extendrearwardly into the void.
 16. The aircraft of claim 15, furthercomprising: the galley walls being comprised of portions of the firstand second vertical beams of the aft pressure bulkhead.
 17. The aircraftof claim 15, further comprising: a cavity extending rearwardly into theaft pressure bulkhead to a back wall of the cavity.
 18. The aircraft ofclaim 14, further comprising: the galley including a galley cart on thegalley floor surface, the galley cart extending into the void betweenthe first and second vertical beams and the first and second horizontalbeams.
 19. The aircraft of claim 8, further comprising: the first andsecond vertical beams are two of a plurality of vertical beams and thefirst and second horizontal beams are two of a plurality of horizontalbeams, the plurality of vertical beams and the plurality of horizontalbeams being interconnected forming the rigid structural framework of theaft pressure bulkhead; the interconnected plurality of vertical beamsand plurality of horizontal beams defining a plurality of upright,rectangular voids inside the pressure wall structure, each void of theplurality of voids being dimensioned to receive a portion of a galleycart inside the void.
 20. The aircraft of claim 19, further comprising:a galley in the cabin adjacent the aft pressure bulkhead, the galleyhaving a galley floor surface that extends into each void of theplurality of voids inside the pressure wall structure.
 21. The aircraftof claim 20, further comprising: the galley having a plurality ofcavities, the cavities having laterally opposite and vertically orientedgalley walls that extend rearwardly into the plurality of voids, thegalley walls being comprised of portions of the vertical beams of theaft pressure bulkhead.
 22. The aircraft of claim 21, further comprising:a plurality of galley carts on the galley floor surface, each galleycart extending into a cavity of the plurality of cavities.